Standard dental floss consists of a thin string or ribbon, usually of plastic or the like, which is stored within a container. Typically, the container acts as a dispensing device, and has a cutting element thereon for cutting a piece of dispensed floss at a desired length. This simple segment of floss is then wound at both ends about a finger on each hand, and held in place by an adjacent finger. Accordingly, when dental floss is used in this manner, it requires that two fingers on each hand be placed within the mouth to achieve the desired flossing action. Furthermore, when any type of turning or rotational motion is required to reach the back teeth, the problem of having four fingers inside the mouth becomes amplified.
The advantage of providing a dental floss device utilizing finger loops was taught by Trecker in U.S. Pat. No. 4,034,770. The use of finger loops having a segment of dental floss suspended therebetween allows for easier manipulation within the mouth, as only one finger on each is needed, and the floss is securely retained by the fingers without slippage. The Trecker device utilizes the standard floss roll container as described above, except that the floss is tied into finger loops at set intervals. The floss is pulled from the container and cut at a length so as to provide two finger loops formed from floss, with a segment of floss suspended therebetween. While this device is an improvement over the standard flossing device, it suffers from the disadvantage that the finger loops formed of tied-off floss ribbon will have the tendency to cause discomfort to the finger when tension is applied during flossing operation. In addition, it is likely that the roll of floss having the tied-off loops thereon would tend to become tangled within the container, thereby resulting in inoperativeness of the device.
Some of the disadvantages of the Trecker device are addressed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,638,824to De La Hoz, which teaches two rigid finger rings adapted to removably retain a standard segment of dental floss therebetween. The finger rings have a retaining portion extending laterally from the ring portion, the retaining portion having three cut out prongs extending slightly upwardly, which alternate with respect to the direction in which they open. The end portion of a cut segment of floss is then wound around the three prongs to retain the floss. The De La Hoz device suffers from a disadvantage in that the standard floss segment will have a tendency to either pull out of the retaining prongs or to be cut at the point of retention as a result of the strong force exerted during flossing operation. In addition, the fact that the retaining prongs extend upwardly from the flat surface of the retaining portion leaves open the possibility that the prongs could cause injury to the inside of the mouth. Furthermore, the manipulation of the end of the floss segment to wind it around the three prongs may be difficult for those persons lacking the requisite dexterity.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a dental floss device which requires a minimal degree of finger protrusion into the mouth, but which provides the necessary leverage to achieve proper flossing action, and which furthermore allows for easy rotation of the fingers within the mouth to reach the back teeth.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a dental floss device which avoids economic and environmental waste by providing a reusable floss retaining portion which is used in conjunction with a floss portion replaced after each use.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a dental floss device having finger rings which are comfortably worn on the fingers, and which do not have upwardly extending protrusions which may cause injury to the mouth.
It is another object of the present invention to provide retaining means on the finger rings which act in conjunction with specially adapted floss segments for simple, secure, one-step engagement between the floss segment and the finger rings.